Apparatus for rolling drawings



March 28, 1967 G. w. BLONN, SR

APPARATUS FOR ROLLING DRAWINGS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed NOV. 1 1963 March 28, 1967 G. w. BLONN, SR 3,311,318

APPARATUS FOR ROLLING DRAWINGS Filed Nov. 1, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,311,318 APPARATUS FOR ROLLING DRAWINGS George W. Blonn, Sr., Downers Grove, 11]., assignor to General Motors Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Delaware Filed Nov. 1, 1963, Ser. No. 320,877 6 Claims. (Cl. 242-72) This invention relates to an apparatus for rolling material, and more particularly to a device for rolling drawings, tracings, prints or other similar material into a neat compact roll for easy storage in a minimum of space.

The ordinary method of manually rolling drawings, tracings, prints, etc. is to first loosely coil the material then insert one or more fingers of one hand into the loosely coiled material engaging the inner surface of the material to be rolled, the other hand then grasps the outer peripheral surface of the material and begins turning the roll about the finger until the desired size is attained. This method, while widely used, has inherent characteristics frequently causing undesirable results. More specifically, paper if not handled very carefully can inflict painful cuts and scratches to an individual assigned a task of rolling and storing drawings. In addition, the drawings when coiled by hand are seldom neat and compact, therefore, a larger storage area is used than actually needed to house properly rolled drawings.

Accordingly, this invention is directly concerned with the above problems and has as its main purpose the object of providing an apparatus which eliminates any discomfort while efiectively rolling drawings, tracings, prints or other similar material into a neat compact roll.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide an apparatus having an elongated member with fingers pivotally connected to said member including means for moving said fingers from a position generally paralleling and adjacent said member to a position extending outwardly from said member thereby causing the free end of said fingers to engage the inner surface of the material to be rolled whereby rotation of said member about its longitudinal axis will result in the material being safely and effectively coiled into a neat compact roll for easy storage in a minimum of space.

Other more specific objects and advantages will become apparent when reference is made to the following description and accompanying drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the apparatus with parts broken away illustrating the finger return biasing means.

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view illustrating the ap paratus in its non-operative position.

FIGURE 3 is a side elvational view illustrating the apparatus in its operative position with fingers engaging the inner surface of the material to be rolled.

Referring now to FIGURE 1 there is shown an apparatus for rolling drawings comprising a tubular member 12 having a plurality of longitudinally aligned slots 14 receiving fingers 16 which are pivotally connected therein by pins 18. The free ends of fingers 16 have attached thereto friction members 20. Tubular member 12 has one end 22 thereof capped by a parabolic shaped end plug 24. Friction pads 26 and stop collar 28 are rigidly secured to member 12. A crank handle assembly 30 includes an intermediate link 32 which pivotally interconnects tubular member 12 and handle 34 by means of pins 36 and 38. Fingers 16 are moved outwardly in a manner to be described more fully later by means of a control wire 40 connected thereto, spring 42, and rigid link 44 anchored to crank assembly 30 by hook 46.

The means for moving the free end of fingers 16 from a position generally paralleling and adjacent tubular member 12 to a position extending outwardly from tubular member 12 includes control cable 40 operatively interconnecting fingers 16 and spring 42, and rigid link 44 extending generally parallel to intermediate link 32 and interconnecting control cable 4i) and crank handle assembly 3t Also provided in the assembly is a means for retracting fingers 16 from a position extending outwardly from tubular member 12 and engagement with the inner surface 48 of material 50- to a position generally paralleling and adjacent tubular member 12. This latter means includes control wire 40 operatively interconnecting fingers 16 and intermediate link 52, spring 54 connected to intermediate link 52 and pin 56 anchoring an end of spring 54 to tubular member 12.

Operation of invention FIGURE 2 illustrates the apparatus 10 in a non-operative position wherein finger-s 16 are generally paralleling tubular member 12 and crank handle assembly 30 is fully extended for easy positioning within a loosely coiled drawing 59. Under such conditions apparatus 10 is inserted within the loosely coiled drawing 50 until the stop collar 28 abuts the end of the drawing, as shown in FIGURE 3. Crank handle 34 is then pushed in and down to assume a normal crank handle position whereby rigid link 44 through spring 42 moves control wire 40 to the right causing fingers 16 to pivot about pins 18 until friction pads 20 of fingers 16 engage inner surface 48 of material 50 to be rolled. The movement of said fingers defines a plane which contains the longitudinal axis of tubular member 12.

If friction pads 26 of fingers 16 engage inner surface 48 prior to crank handle assembly 30 assuming the position shown in FIGURE 3, expansion of spring 42 permits further movement of the handle assembly until the desired crank position as shown is attained.

After inserting apparatus 10 and positioning the crank as just described the operator merely places his free hand on the outer-peripheral surface 58 of the loosely coiled material 50 and begins turning crank handle 34. Friction members 20 and friction pads 26 insure continual contact between apparatus 10 and material 50. Cranking tightens the material 50 on friction members 20 and friction pads 26 until the coil becomes small enough to move fingers 16 toward tubular member 12 slightly increasing tension on spring 42 and slightly decreasing tension on spring 54.

When a roll of material has been coiled to the desired diameter, the operator slips a rubber band or similar restraining device over the coiled material and releases the crank handle assembly permitting spring 54 to retract fingers 16 to a position generally paralleling tubular member 12, as shown in FIGURES l and 2. This enables the apparatus to be easily withdrawn from the tightly .coiled material. As already mentioned, spring 54 through intermediate link 52 serves as a return spring for retracting fingers 16 from their extended position during the winding operation. In addition, spring 54 returns fingers 16 to a position generally paralleling tubular member 12, as shown in FIGURES 1 and 2, when the operator moves the crank handle to its extended position. In addition, intermediate link 52 serves as a connecting link between the control cable 40 exterior of tubular member 12, and spring 54 interior of the tubular member 1 2, by having appended thereto a tab 6!) which is guided in slot 14 of the tubular member 12.

I claim:

1. An apparatus for rolling material comprising an elongated member rotatable about a longitudinal axis thereof, a plurality of longitudinally aligned fingers each having an end thereof pivotally connected to said member, a crank handle pivotally connected to an end of said memher for manual rotation thereof and for movement about an axis transverse to said longitudinal .axis, and means operatively connecting said fingers to said crank handle whereby movement of said crank handle about said transverse axis moves said fingers from a position generally paralleling and adjacent to said member to a position extending outwardly from said member thereby causing the free end of said fingers to engage the inner surface of the material to be rolled.

2.An apparatus for rolling drawings comprising a tubular member rotatable about a longitudinal axis thereof and having a plurality of longitudinally aligned slots therein, a plurality of fingers, each of said fingers being received within one of said slots and having one end pivotally connected to said member, a crank handle pivotally connected to an end of said member for manual rotation thereof and for movement about an axis transverse to said longitudinal axis, and means operatively connecting said crank handle and said fingers whereby pivotal movement of said crank handle about said transverse axis moves the free end of said fingers from a position generally paralleling and adjacent to said member to a position extending outwardly from said member, the movement of said fingers defining a plane which contains the longitudinal axis of said memher.

3. An apparatus for rolling drawings comprising a tubular member rotatable about a longitudinal axis thereof and having a plurality of longitudinally aligned slots therein, a plurality of fingers, each of said fingers being received within one of said slots and having one end pivotally connected to said member, a crank handle pivotally connected to an end of said member for manual rotation thereof and for movement about an axis transverse to said longitudinal axis, first means operatively connecting said crank handle and said fingers whereby pivotal movement of said crank handle about said transverse axis in one direction moves the free ends of said fingers from a position generally paralleling and adjacent to said member to a position extending outwardly from said member, and second means interconnecting said fingers and said member whereby movement of said crank handle about said transverse axis in an opposite direction retracts said fingers from a position extending outwardly from said member to a position generally paralleling and adjacent to said member, the movement of said fingers defining a plane which contains the longitudinal axis of said member.

4. An apparatus for rolling drawings comprising a tubular member rotatable about a longitudinal axis thereof and having a plurality of longitudinally aligned slots therein, a plurality of fingers, each of said fingers being received within one of said slots and having one end pivotally connected to said member, a crank handle pivotally connected to an end of said member for manual rotation thereof and for movement about an axis transverse to said longitudinal axis, first means interconnecting said crank handle and said fingers whereby pivotal movement of said crank handle about said transverse axis in one direction moves the free ends of said fingers from a position generally paralleling and adjacent to said member to a position extending out- 60 wardly from said member, and second means positioned substantially within said member interconnecting said fingers and said member whereby movement of said crank handle about said transverse axis in an opposite direction retracts said fingers from a position extending outwardly from said member to a position generally paralleling and adjacent to said member, the movement of said fingers defining a plane which contains the longitudinal axis of said member.

5. Apparatus for rolling material comprising, an elongated rotatable member, a plurality of longitudinally aligned fingers pivotally mounted on said member for movement between a position generally adjacent to said member and to a position extending outwardly therefrom, said member being insertable within a loosely coiled roll of material while said fingers are in said adjacent position, means for moving said fingers to said extending position to engage the inner surface of said material, crank means for operating said moving means and for rotating said member to tightly coil said roll of material, and spring means for retracting said fingers to said adjacent position after said material is tightly coiled about said member and fingers to free said fingers from the roll and permit withdrawal of said member from the roll.

6. Apparatus for rolling drawings comprising, a tubular member rotatable about a longitudinal axis thereof and having a plurality of longitudinally aligned finger slots and a link slot aligned with said finger slots, a stop disc attached to said member, friction members rigidly secured to said member, a plurality of fingers, each of said fingers being received within one of said finger slots and having one pivotally connected to said member, friction members mounted on the free ends of said fingers, a crank handle pivotally connected to an end of said member for rotation therewith about said longitudinal axis and movement about an axis transverse to said longitudinal axis, first means operatively connecting said crank handle and said fingers whereby pivotal movement of said crank handle about said transverse axis in one direction moves said free ends of said finger from a position generally paralleling and adjacent to said member to a position extending outwardly from said member, and second means operatively connecting said member and said fingers whereby movement of said crank handle about said transverse axis in an opposite direction retracts said fingers from a position extending outwardly from said member to a position generally paralleling and adjacent to said member, said second means including a link movable within said link slot, a control cable operatively interconnecting said fingers, said crank handle and said link, and a return spring interconnecting said tubular member and said link.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 799,435 9/1905 Baker 242-72 1,540,566 6/ 1925 Petree 294-97 X 1,573,183 2/ 1926 Mehlum 242-72 2,381,301 8/ 1945 Markle 242-72 FOREIGN PATENTS 542,649 1/ 1942 Great Britain.

STANLEY N. GILREATH, Primary Examiner.

FRANK J. COHEN, B. S. TAYLOR,

Assistant Examiners. 

5. APPARATUS FOR ROLLING MATERIAL COMPRISING, AN ELONGATED ROTATABLE MEMBER, A PLURALITY OF LONGITUDINALLY ALIGNED FINGERS PIVOTALLY MOUNTED ON SAID MEMBER FOR MOVEMENT BETWEEN A POSITION GENERALLY ADJACENT TO SAID MEMBER AND TO A POSITION EXTENDING OUTWARDLY THEREFROM, SAID MEMBER BEING INSERTABLE WITHIN A LOOSELY COILED ROLL OF MATERIAL WHILE SAID FINGERS ARE IN SAID ADJACENT POSITION, MEANS FOR MOVING SAID FINGERS TO SAID EXTENDING POSITION TO ENGAGE THE INNER SURFACE OF SAID MATERIAL, CRANK MEANS FOR OPERATING SAID MOVING MEANS AND FOR ROTATING SAID MEMBER TO TIGHTLY COIL SAID ROLL OF MATERIAL, AND SPRING MEANS FOR RETRACTING SAID FINGERS TO SAID ADJACENT POSITION AFTER SAID MATERIAL IS TIGHTLY COILED ABOUT SAID MEMBER AND FINGERS TO FREE SAID FINGERS FROM THE ROLL AND PERMIT WITHDRAWAL OF SAID MEMBER FROM THE ROLL. 